The department says the operational registration of the school was withdrawn by in April 2018, however, the school ignored the correspondence and continued to operate.

Officials from the Gauteng department of education were on Thursday denied entry at a private school they intended to shut down for operating illegally.

A government delegation led by Tshwane South district director Hilda Kekana unsuccessfully negotiated with those who ran the Centauri Dual Medium Private High School in Centurion.

A woman inside the premises shouted at education officials and journalists, before rushing back into the house: “This is a private property. No one is entering. I have spoken to national intelligence. You take a picture …”

The education officials then went to the Wierdabrug police station, to open a case of a school illegally operating.

Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the operational registration of the school was withdrawn by the provincial department in April 2018 for non-adherence to the post-registration requirements.

“However, the school ignored the correspondence and continued to operate,” said Mabona.

“Among others, the school contravened the curriculum policy, multi-grade teaching is a norm, disregard of assessment and examination processes, utilization of unqualified teachers without Sace (South African Council for Educators) certificates, a timetable not CAPS complaint, and learner tasks not CAPS complaint.”

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